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A
recent study published in the April issue of Proceedings
of the National Academy of Sciences reported that retroviruses
(viruses that contain RNA instead of DNA) may play a role
in the development of schizophrenia in some individuals. The
researchers found retroviral RNA in the cerebrospinal fluid
(CSF is fluid surrounding the brain) of 29 percent of participants
who recently developed schizophrenia and in 5 percent of participants
with chronic schizophrenia. No retroviral RNA was found in
the CSF of any of the healthy participants. Researchers identified
the majority of RNA sequences found in consumers as belonging
to the human endogenous retroviral (HERV)-W family.
More
studies are needed to identify the specific role retroviruses
might have in the development of schizophrenia. Although previous
findings implicating viruses have not been repeated in further
studies, researchers are hopeful that the findings in this
study may eventually lead to strategies to prevent schizophrenia
in some vulnerable individuals by interfering with the replication
of retroviruses within the brain.
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